If you can imagine the Beach Boys "Little Deuce Coupe" playing in you mind, while at a So Cal dragstrip in the mid 60's, with Ed "Big Daddy" Roth in the vendor row selling monster shirts... this book is for you (or just in time for your dad or grand dad who were there!)

It's a rare person who lives the dream, is at the right place at the right time, and meets his heroes. They did not disappoint him.

Dan grew up in California, somewhere near San Francisco, and got to see the Oakland Roadster Show (63-67) when Cushenberry, Barris, Jeffries, and Winfield were unveiling for the first time their great works of show car masterpieces.

He wrote a fan letter to Ed Roth, and got a response, and even talked to him on the phone... that, well damn, that is pretty frickin awesome...

and once while at a mall, saw Brian Wilson, and was fortunate to introduce his son, a Beach Boys music fan, to Brian. Wow.

Dan went from being a young kid inspired by the icons of hot rodding and show car masterpieces, to a bonafide participant in the Revell 2nd Annual National Custom Car Contest, the one judged by Ivo, Shelby, Nancy, Roth and Moon! Not a sideline fan at all! Dan was living the car nut life, high octane, full bore!

And when he grew up... he became an artist! Yeah, that is cool, that's the evolution we all hope for, and Dan made it happen. Grade school text books with flames and pinstripes to the Art Center College of Design graduate!

See how all of this is so similar to what I've been posting?

Well, here are things in common, so if you already like:Ed "Big Daddy" RothRod and Custom magazines of the early 60'sslingshot dragsters,A/FXersMouse sweaters and t-shirtsModel car kitsArt Center College of Designand hot rod art...

- you're going to love this book.

Dan made this book become a tribute to family, by incorporating his dads art and influence, as he taught Dan some drawing techniques for getting the tires and wheels to look right, took him to the car shows, and he was both a Boeing machinst on B17 parts and a WW2 soldier.And I don't just mean the kind you're born with... he illumintates the Roth Industries family of artists and monster designers - Ed Newton, Tom Daniel, and Robert Williams.Dan even, without realizing I suppose, makes the many connections between the Art Center College of Design and hot rodding, by pointing out the alumni of the ACC that went on to work in the Ed Roth world... as Jack Leynnwood, a WW2 P-38 pilot, and then illustration instructor at the ACC was working at Revell in the peak of the Roth - Revell collaborations and painted the model car box covers for Outlaw and Mysterion!

Plus, Ed Newton was creating the water transfer sticker and t-shirt designs while Ed was making the show cars, and Newton was also a ACC alumni. Look at the connections!

Also, the astute observations Dan has of art (Rod and Custom Sept 1963 cover with Roth's Mysterion is a Mondrian modernism color backdrop to frame the cars)and that the sponsorship of Don Prudhomme's creation (Revell Snake anad Mongoose) led to him being priced out of drag racing (WHOA! Damn, I hadn't ever realized how true that is!)

Stats143 pagesall color illustrations, photos, and artit takes about 2 to 2 and a 1/2 hours to read/look at/enjoy17 pieces of Ed Roth art3 photos from the drag races34 photos from Oakland Roadster Show13 magazine covers from the golden age of Rod and Custom and Car Craft6 kit car boxes from Revell or Monogram

How many hot rod book authors also have an IMDB page? Just this one is my guess!You've enjoyed his work on Escape From Planet Earth and Arthur Christmas for example.http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1673477/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1He also was an illustrator for Rolling Stone Magazine and Dan designed the polar bears for Coca Cola!